There are a variety of goggles available on the market today that are designed to help protect the eyes of a user when engaging in certain physical activities. For example, many individuals routinely wear goggles when skiing, riding motorcycle, and when participating in certain sports. Employees working in hazardous areas also wear goggles to help protect their eyes from injury, dust and debris, and from exposure to chemicals or the like. Such goggles typically include a frame designed to overlay both eyes of an individual, a single plastic shield attached to the frame, and an adjustable strap affixed to opposite ends of the frame for securing the protective goggles onto the head of a user.
Other types of goggles include swimming goggles that are generally worn by professional and amateur swimmers alike. Swimming goggles are often worn by swimmers to protect the eyes when swimming in pools, lakes, ponds or rivers, and to allow a swimmer to open his or her eyes when navigating under water. Swimming goggles protect the individual's eyes from dirt, and other natural debris found in natural water ways, and from chlorine and other harsh chemicals typically used in public and private pools. Generally, swimming goggles include a pair of eye cups, a rubber strap attached to opposite ends of the eye cups, and a buckle for adjusting the length of the rubber strap to accommodate a number of individuals having different head sizes. The eye cups are dimensionally sized to cover both eyes of a swimmer and are either molded as one unit, or separately constructed and attached together via, a nose bridge. A foam pad is often disposed along the peripheral edge of each eye cup to provide comfort around the area of the eyes. Conventional swimming goggles typically come in a variety of different colors, shapes and designs and often include transparent or tinted eye cups.
The rubber or elastic strap used on conventional swimming goggles provides various drawbacks. Most rubber straps used with swimming goggles include a flat band that is constructed from a thin rubber material. The rubber strap is designed to compress tightly against a swimmer's hair and outer surface area of the head making it difficult for a swimmer to position the strap onto the head, or providing discomfort to a wearer during extended use. The flat rubber band often twists forcing the swimmer to repeatedly make adjustments to orient the band in a flat, comfortable position. A user often attempts to untwist the elastic strap when the swimming goggle is already positioned onto the user's head. In doing so, the wearer typically pinches the band and pulls the elastic band away from the head in an effort to straighten the elastic band to provide a more comfortable fit. As a result of the rubber strap sticking to the user's hair, the individual ends up pulling his or her hair causing pain and discomfort.
Another drawback of conventional goggle straps is that most goggle straps include a slider or buckle that are used to make necessary adjustments to the length of the strap. To achieve a desired fit and to prevent the swimming goggles from falling off, the user must slide the strap through designated slots provided in the slider or buckle to tighten the strap. In many cases, a wearer must repeatedly remove the pair of swimming goggles from his or her head to make adjustments. Most traditional swimming goggles that include adjustable rubber straps having sliders or buckles that prevent a wearer from easily and quickly adjusting the length of the rubber strap while wearing the swimming goggles. The traditional design of sliders and buckles also frustrates the ability for parents to quickly make adjustments to the rubber strap while the swimming goggles are fitted on a child's head. The child often becomes impatient or experiences discomfort as the parent repeatedly removes the swimming goggles to make adjustments. Further, the thin rubber material used in constructing the rubber strap becomes frail over time as a result of wear and tear and prolonged exposure to chemicals and sunlight. The properties of the rubber strap break down over time and the strap eventually breaks during use.
Another disadvantage provided by conventional swimming goggle straps is that most straps are similar in appearance. Typical swimming goggle straps often comprise a light or dark shade of grey or black. Should the swimming goggles fall off during use and become lost, it would be difficult for a person to identify the goggles when found. Also, swimming goggles having differently sized goggle straps may also be hard to distinguish from one another. Individuals having different head sizes may wish to quickly differentiate between swimming goggles having differently sized goggle straps. Distinguishable features may be beneficial where a group of swimmers are concentrated in one local.
In an effort to address some of the disadvantages of the prior art, some swimming goggle straps have implemented the use of a shock cord or a tubular bungee cord. Generally, the tubular bungee cord includes a single rubber cord or a plurality of individual rubber cords or strands assembled together to provide a round elastic core. The core can be covered with a stretchable fabric or mesh material to help protect the tubular elastic core. The tubular bungee cord is adapted for used with a pair of swimming goggles and often includes a cord lock for adjusting the length of the tubular bungee cord.
The conventional bungee cord design also includes certain drawbacks. The tubular dimension of the bungee cord often results in the bungee cord rolling along the user's head. As the tubular bungee cord rolls along the outer surface of a wearer's head, the cord becomes misaligned and pulls on one or both sides of the swimming goggles. The wearer must correct the rolling effect by repeatedly situating the tubular bungee cord in place around the head. In an effort to prevent rolling, the user tightens the cord around the head causing not only more stress and strain on the bungee cord itself, but greater discomfort to the wearer as the cord constricts tightly around the user's head and pulls even further on the swimming goggles. Thus, the tubular bungee cord results in a goggle strap that provides an uneven stress distribution, an increased sinusoidal stress or strain, poor sheer resistance, and limited strength in the primary loading direction thereby providing uneven distribution and discomfort to a user.
What is desired is a braided goggle strap for use with swimming goggles that is quickly and easily adjustable when worn on a user, inexpensive, and comfortable to wear. What is further desired is a braided goggle strap that includes superior mechanical properties, includes even stress distribution and minimal sinusoidal stress to provide comfort when worn on a user's head, and includes distinguishable features to help differentiate one swimming goggle strap from another.